ALABAMA EXPOSURE: Special session on reapportionment begins Thursday

Dana Beyerle

Published: Monday, May 14, 2012 at 12:34 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, May 14, 2012 at 12:34 p.m.

The last day of the 2012 regular legislative session will be Wednesday, the 30th working day of the session. A special legislative session on legislative reapportionment will start May 17, Rep. Jim McClendon, R-Springville, told House members last week. He is co-chairman of the Joint Permanent Legislative Committee on Reapportionment.

McClendon said he hopes the special session can be completed in five working days, with the last day scheduled for May 23. Gov. Robert Bentley will have to issue the actual proclamation for the special session.

Legislators face redrawing 35 Senate and 105 House district lines to accommodate population changes since the 2010 Census.

Bill would end support

for medical examiners

A bill ending 26 years of state financial support for Tuscaloosa County's medical examiner services was sent to Gov. Robert Bentley for his consideration last week.

The bill by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, requires counties to pay the cost of medical examiner services. The two counties with state-supported medical examiners are Mobile and Tuscaloosa. The General Fund appropriated $213,000 to Tuscaloosa County and $108,000 to Mobile County for medical examiner services this fiscal year.

Also last week, the Legislature sent to Bentley a bill authorizing the Tuscaloosa County Commission to fund an elected office of coroner or contract with the state Department of Forensic Sciences. The coroner's office is a backup plan should no agreement be worked out with the medical examiners. A 1986 law dissolved the office of Tuscaloosa County coroner.

House committee declines vote on charter schools bill

The House Ways and Means Education Committee last week declined to take a vote on a Senate bill that would have created public charter schools. The argument is the Senate bill wouldn't have led to charter schools anyway because of a myriad of restrictions. The lack of a vote effectively killed the Senate bill that couldn't advance without the committee vote. A House charter school bill was indefinitely postponed.

House sponsor Rep. Phil Williams, R-Huntsville, said he might bring the bill back next year. He blamed special interests for killing the bill. The conservative Alabama Policy Institute was critical of Republican senators for voting for a “charter school bill that is far worse than if they had simply passed nothing.” Every Democrat voted against the bill.

Central figure in Tuscaloosa history dies

A central figure in Gov. George Wallace's “Stand in the Schoolhouse Door” nearly 50 years ago has died. Former Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach died last week at his home in New Jersey. He was 90. He advised presidents John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson and was Johnson's attorney general. On June 11, 1963, Katzenbach confronted Wallace at the door of Foster Auditorium and ordered him to step aside and allow two black students, Vivian Malone and James Hood of Gadsden, to register at the University of Alabama. Wallace had vowed to block their admission, but he stepped aside after his speech.

In a 1992 interview with the Tuscaloosa News for Wallace's prepared obituary, Katzenbach said Wallace had two messages:

“One message he was giving was of a populist dirt farmer, blue collar sort of message. And sub rosa in the message to many was a racial message because of his standing in the school house door,” he said.

Attorney General Robert Kennedy and Katzenbach discussed the plan of action at the university.

“Just before that confrontation, Bobby called me, and I stopped and went to a pay phone and he said, ‘What are you going to say to the governor?' and I said, ‘I don't know,' said Katzenbach. “Bobby said the president wants to make him look foolish, and I said, ‘Do you know how to do that?' and he said, ‘I don't know, that's up to you.' ”

Katzenbach escorted the students to register. He helped Republicans pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act that was approved after the nation watched Wallace's state troopers beat blacks at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma.

Gov. proclaims National Nursing Home Week

Gov. Robert Bentley has proclaimed May 13-19 as National Nursing Home Week in Alabama. The Alabama Nursing Home Association said Bentley's proclamation praises nursing homes for their quality care for 24,000 nursing home residents. “We invite everyone to become a part of our nursing home family all year long and especially during National Nursing Home Week,” Alabama Nursing Home Association President Eddie Jackson said.

Quote of the week

“I wish we didn't have to run in political parties, it divides us,” Democratic state Sen. Vivian Figures of Mobile said while speaking about a bill to increase fees so the state could be run “the way it should be.”

Alabama Exposure is compiled by Dana Beyerle in the Montgomery bureau of the Tuscaloosa News. Readers can call him at 334-264-6605 or email him at dtb12345@aol.com.

<p>The last day of the 2012 regular legislative session will be Wednesday, the 30th working day of the session. A special legislative session on legislative reapportionment will start May 17, Rep. Jim McClendon, R-Springville, told House members last week. He is co-chairman of the Joint Permanent Legislative Committee on Reapportionment. </p><p>McClendon said he hopes the special session can be completed in five working days, with the last day scheduled for May 23. Gov. Robert Bentley will have to issue the actual proclamation for the special session. </p><p>Legislators face redrawing 35 Senate and 105 House district lines to accommodate population changes since the 2010 Census.</p><p>Bill would end support </p><p>for medical examiners</p><p>A bill ending 26 years of state financial support for Tuscaloosa County's medical examiner services was sent to Gov. Robert Bentley for his consideration last week. </p><p>The bill by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, requires counties to pay the cost of medical examiner services. The two counties with state-supported medical examiners are Mobile and Tuscaloosa. The General Fund appropriated $213,000 to Tuscaloosa County and $108,000 to Mobile County for medical examiner services this fiscal year. </p><p>Also last week, the Legislature sent to Bentley a bill authorizing the Tuscaloosa County Commission to fund an elected office of coroner or contract with the state Department of Forensic Sciences. The coroner's office is a backup plan should no agreement be worked out with the medical examiners. A 1986 law dissolved the office of Tuscaloosa County coroner.</p><p>House committee declines vote on charter schools bill</p><p>The House Ways and Means Education Committee last week declined to take a vote on a Senate bill that would have created public charter schools. The argument is the Senate bill wouldn't have led to charter schools anyway because of a myriad of restrictions. The lack of a vote effectively killed the Senate bill that couldn't advance without the committee vote. A House charter school bill was indefinitely postponed. </p><p>House sponsor Rep. Phil Williams, R-Huntsville, said he might bring the bill back next year. He blamed special interests for killing the bill. The conservative Alabama Policy Institute was critical of Republican senators for voting for a “charter school bill that is far worse than if they had simply passed nothing.” Every Democrat voted against the bill.</p><p>Central figure in Tuscaloosa history dies</p><p>A central figure in Gov. George Wallace's “Stand in the Schoolhouse Door” nearly 50 years ago has died. Former Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach died last week at his home in New Jersey. He was 90. He advised presidents John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson and was Johnson's attorney general. On June 11, 1963, Katzenbach confronted Wallace at the door of Foster Auditorium and ordered him to step aside and allow two black students, Vivian Malone and James Hood of Gadsden, to register at the University of Alabama. Wallace had vowed to block their admission, but he stepped aside after his speech.</p><p>In a 1992 interview with the Tuscaloosa News for Wallace's prepared obituary, Katzenbach said Wallace had two messages:</p><p>“One message he was giving was of a populist dirt farmer, blue collar sort of message. And sub rosa in the message to many was a racial message because of his standing in the school house door,” he said. </p><p>Attorney General Robert Kennedy and Katzenbach discussed the plan of action at the university. </p><p>“Just before that confrontation, Bobby called me, and I stopped and went to a pay phone and he said, 'What are you going to say to the governor?' and I said, 'I don't know,' said Katzenbach. “Bobby said the president wants to make him look foolish, and I said, 'Do you know how to do that?' and he said, 'I don't know, that's up to you.' ” </p><p>Katzenbach escorted the students to register. He helped Republicans pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act that was approved after the nation watched Wallace's state troopers beat blacks at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma.</p><p>Gov. proclaims National Nursing Home Week</p><p>Gov. Robert Bentley has proclaimed May 13-19 as National Nursing Home Week in Alabama. The Alabama Nursing Home Association said Bentley's proclamation praises nursing homes for their quality care for 24,000 nursing home residents. “We invite everyone to become a part of our nursing home family all year long and especially during National Nursing Home Week,” Alabama Nursing Home Association President Eddie Jackson said.</p><p>Quote of the week</p><p>“I wish we didn't have to run in political parties, it divides us,” Democratic state Sen. Vivian Figures of Mobile said while speaking about a bill to increase fees so the state could be run “the way it should be.”</p><p>Alabama Exposure is compiled by Dana Beyerle in the Montgomery bureau of the Tuscaloosa News. Readers can call him at 334-264-6605 or email him at dtb12345@aol.com.</p>